Apparatus for and method of making sand molds mechanically



April 28, 1953 J. T. DOUGHERTY 3 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAND MOLDS MECHANICALLY Filed June 5, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR. gapzes TDouy/zen'y ATTORNEYS A ril 28, 1953 J. T. DOUGHERTY APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAND MOLDS MECHANICALLY Filed June 5, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig: 3 Y Fug: 4

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A TTORNEY S Patented Apr. 28, 1953 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAND MOLDS MECHANICALLY James T. Dougherty, Canton, Ohio Application June 5, 1950, Serial No. 166,211

11 Claims.

The invention relates generally to a method of making sand molds for metal castings, and more particularly to a novel method whereby the complete sand mold is quickly made mechanically without manual operations other than the manipulation of a control device which co-ordinates the operation of the mechanical elements.

Present day foundry practice of making sand molds includes certain mechanical equipment such as vibrating and jolting devices for the pattern and means for supporting the flask sections during certain operations, but a number of manual operations are still required, such as shoveling and tamping or ramming sand into the flask sections, inverting certain flask sections and transferring the sections from one support to another.

These manual operations require skilled labor and extra time and expense, and moreover, the quality of the sand mold thus produced is always dependent to a large degree upon the care and skill exercised by the operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for making a complete sand mold entirely by mechanical operations which are adapted to be performed automatically in proper sequence.

Another object is to provide a novel method for making sand molds of uniform and superior quality.

A further object is to provide a novel method of making sand molds which saves time, expense and labor, and requires a minimum amount of working space.

These and other objects are accomplished by the apparatus, method steps and combinations thereof comprising the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which is described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings as exemplifying the best known mode of carrying out the invention, th scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, the novel apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention preferably includes sand supply cylinders for the cope and drag sections of the flask movable laterally from a loading station into register with the assembled flask and with compressed air means for blowing the sand downwardly into the cope section and upwardly into the drag section simultaneously, the cope and drag sections and the pattern plate being independently movably supported so that the copesection and pattern plate can be raised and the pattern plate swung laterally from between the cope and drag sections, the supporting means being operable to then lower the cope section onto the drag'section, and then to raise the cope and drag sections above the completed mold.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example;

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing somewhat diagrammatically one form of apparatus for carryin out the invention, with the sand supply cylinders in position to be loaded prior to making the mold; I

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the sand supply cylinders in position for filling the moldfiask;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in section with the flask sections and pattern in the assembled position of Fig. 2, after the sand is introduced from the cylinders into the flask;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the sand cylinders removed and the cope section and pattern plate raised and separated;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 showing the pattern plate removed from between the cope and drag sections; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the cope section lowered onto the drag section.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The apparatus preferably consists of an open rectangular frame having vertical posts or columns indicated-at l0 mounted at their lower ends in a base plate H and supporting a top plate l2. Substantially midway between the base plate II and top plate I2 is a stationary supporting platform l3 which is carried on the posts In of the frame, and this platform is provided at its central section with a series of perforations I l for a purpose to be described. The platform I3 is adapted to support the molding flask consisting of a cope section [5 and a drag section l6 which are preferably tapered inwardly upward as shown, and which may be of usual construction including cope sand holders indicated at |5a in Figs. 1 and 2.

The cope section is independently movably supported by means of a frame having vertical bars 11 which extend slidably through the platform 33 and base I l, and which may be vertically actuated by hydraulic cylinders Ila below the floor line F as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Similarly, the drag section of the flask I6 is independently movably supported by a frame having vertical bars {-8 which extend slidably through the platform.l3 and base plate II and into hydraulic By means of this novel method andapp atus. all of the method steps or operations necessary to make a complete mold are performed mechanically, using the term mechanically in abroad sense as including hydraulic or other pressure fiuid operated devices and also electrically operated devices, which are all well known and which per se form no part of the present invention. y performing each of the operations in proper sequence and at proper time intervals and by maintaining the air pressure for blowing the sand uniform, the sand molds produced will be of uniformly high quality without requiring skilled labor in ramming and otherwise preparing the mold, as is the case in present practice.

Moreover, all of the mechanical operations and actuating devices therefor may be co-ordinated so as to be performed automatically, in any one of several well known ways, as for example by means of a timing device including a drum driven at a predetermined constant speed and having fingers or projections actuating at proper time intervals electrical switches controlling the various mechanical devices for performing the several operations in sequence.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful methods and constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1; The method of forming sand molds mechanically which consists in independently supporting a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections in assembled relation, moving sand supply means laterally into register with sand loading means, then moving said sand supply means laterally to register with said cope and drag sections, simultaneously introducing sand under pressure from said supply means into said cope and drag sections, removing said supply means laterally, raising the cope section and pattern plate in assembled relation, raising the cope section above said pattern plate, laterally removing said pattern plate, then lowering the cope section onto the drag section, and then raising the cope and drag sections in assembled relation above the completed sand mold.

2. The method of forming sand molds mechanically which consists in independently movably supporting a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections in assembled relation, moving sand supply means laterally into register with sand loading means, then moving said sand supply means laterally to register with said cope and drag sections, simultaneously blowing sand under pressure from said supply means into said assembled cope and drag sections, removing said sand supply means, raisin and separating the cope section and pattern plate above the drag section, laterally removing said pattern plate, then lowering the cope section onto the drag section, and then raising the cope and drag section in unison above the completed sand mold,

3. The method of forming sand molds mechanically which consists in independently movably supporting a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections in assembled relation, moving sand supply means laterally into register with sand loading means, then moving said sand supply means laterally to register with the top of the cope section and with the bottom of the drag section, simultaneously blowing sand under pressure from said supply means vertically into said assembled cope and drag sections, laterally removing said supply means, raising and separating the cope section and pattern plate above the drag section, laterally removing said pattern plate, then lowering the cope section onto the drag section, and then raising the cope and drag sections in unison above the completed sand mold.

4. The method of forming sand molds mechanically which consists in independently movably supporting a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections in assembled relation, moving sand supply means laterally into register with sand loading means, then moving said sand supply means laterally to register with said cope and drag sections, simultaneously blowing sand under pressure from said supply means into said assembled cope and drag sections, removing said sand supply means, raising and separating'the cope section and pattern plate above the drag section, laterally removin said pattern plate, then lowering'the cope section onto the drag section.

5. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform, means independently supporting said pattern plate and cope and drag sections for vertical movement power means for independently moving said supporting means vertically, power means for swinging said pattern plate laterally relative r to said cope and drag sections, sand cylinders movable laterally into and out of register with said cope and drag sections, power means for moving said cylinders. and means for blowing sand from said cylinders simultaneously into said cope and drag sections.

6. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform, means independently supporting said pattern plate and cope and drag sections for vertical movement, power means for independently moving said supporting means vertically, power means for swinging said pattern plate laterally relative to said cope and drag sections, sand cylinders movable laterally into and out of register with said cope and drag sections, power means for moving said cylinders, gravity means for loading said sand cylinders when out of register, and means for blowing sand from said cylinders simultaneously into said cope and drag sections when said cylinders are in register with said sections.

'7. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform, mean independently supporting said pattern plate and cope and drag sections for vertical movement, power means for independently moving said supporting means vertically, power means ior'swingine said pattern plate laterally relative to said cope and drag sections; sand cylinders movable' latei'ally into and out of register with said cope anddr'ag sections; and means for blowing san'd under'pressure from said cylinders simultaneously intosaid cope and drag sections for compacting'the sand a'gainst opposite surfaces of saidpattern plate.

8. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a perforated platform, a pattern plate: and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform, means independently supporting said pattemplate and cope and drag sections forvertical movement, power means for independently moving said supporting means vertically, power means for moving said pattern plate on its support from" between'said cope and drag sections, a cope sand container movable laterally into and out of register with the top of said cope section and having a perforated. bottom wall, a drag sand container movable below said platform laterally into and out of register with the bottom of said drag section, power means for moving said containers, and means for blowing sand under pressure from said containerssimultaneously into said cope and drag sections.

9. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform, frames independently supporting said pattern plate and cope and drag sections for vertical movement, power means for independently moving said frames vertically, means swivelling the pattern plate upon the corresponding frame, power means for swinging the pattern plate laterally relative to the cope and drag sections, sand cylinders movable laterally into and out of register with the cope and drag sections, power means for moving said sand cylinders, and means for blowing sand from said cylinders into the cope and drag sections.

10. Apparatus for forming sand. molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on said platform,

frames independently supporting said pattern plateand cope" and drag sections for vertical movement, power means for independently moving said frames vertically, means swivelling the pattern plate upon the corresponding frame, power means for swinging the pattern plate laterally relative to the cops and drag sections, sand cylinders movable laterally into and out of register with the cope and drag sections, power means for moving said sand cylinders, means for loading said sand cylinders when out of register, and means for blowing sand from said cylinders into the cope and drag sections when said cylinders are in register with said sections.

11. Apparatus for forming sand molds mechanically including a platform, a pattern plate and cope and drag flask sections arranged to be supported in assembled relation on 'said platform, frames independently supporting said pattern plate and cope and drag sections for vertical movement, power means for independently moving said frames vertically, means swivelling the pattern plate upon the corresponding frame, power means for swinging the pattern plate laterally relative to the cope and drag sections, sand hoppers spaced laterally from the cope and drag sections, sand cylinders movable laterally into and out of register with the cope and drag sections and with the hoppers, and means for blowing sand from said cylinders into the cope and drag sections when the cylinders are in register with said sections.

JAMES T. DOUGHERTY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,0343% Bannister July 30, 1912 1,034,336 Bannister July 30, 1912 1,480,748 Demmler Jan. 15, 1924 1,480,749 Demmler Jan. 15, 1924 2,112,910 Jeffery Apr. 5, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 343,478 Germany Nov. 3, 1921 

